Question

4. The cost of retained earnings

If a firm cannot invest retained earnings to earn a rate of return __________the required rate of return on retained earnings, it should return those funds to its stockholders.

The cost of equity using the CAPM approach

The current risk-free rate of return (rRFrRF) is 4.23% while the market risk premium is 6.17%. The Wilson Company has a beta of 0.78. Using the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) approach, Wilson’s cost of equity is __________ .

The cost of equity using the bond yield plus risk premium approach

The Kennedy Company is closely held and, therefore, cannot generate reliable inputs with which to use the CAPM method for estimating a company’s cost of internal equity. Kennedy’s bonds yield 10.28%, and the firm’s analysts estimate that the firm’s risk premium on its stock over its bonds is 3.55%. Based on the bond-yield-plus-risk-premium approach, Kennedy’s cost of internal equity is:

a.16.60%

b.13.83%

c.15.21%

d.13.14%

The cost of equity using the discounted cash flow (or dividend growth) approach

Ford Enterprises’s stock is currently selling for $25.67 per share, and the firm expects its per-share dividend to be $1.38 in one year. Analysts project the firm’s growth rate to be constant at 5.72%. Estimating the cost of equity using the discounted cash flow (or dividend growth) approach, what is Ford’s cost of internal equity?

a.11.66%

b.13.88%

c.10.55%

d.11.10%

Estimating growth rates

It is often difficult to estimate the expected future dividend growth rate for use in estimating the cost of existing equity using the DCF or DG approach. In general, there are three available methods to generate such an estimate:

•	Carry forward a historical realized growth rate, and apply it to the future.
•	Locate and apply an expected future growth rate prepared and published by security analysts.
•	Use the retention growth model.

Suppose Ford is currently distributing 55% of its earnings in the form of cash dividends. It has also historically generated an average return on equity (ROE) of 14%. Ford’s estimated growth rate is ________ %.

Answer 1

The Cost of Retained Earnings

If a firm cannot invest retained earnings to earn a rate of return “GREATER THAN OR EQUAL” to the required rate of return on retained earnings, it should return those funds to its shareholders.

The cost of equity using CAPM Approach

As per Capital Asset Pricing Model [CAPM], The cost of equity is calculated by using the following formula

Cost of Equity = Risk-free Rate + [Beta x Market Risk Premium]

= 4.23% + [0.78 x 6.17%]

= 4.23% + 4.81%

= 9.04%

The cost of equity using Bond yield plus risk premium Approach

The cost of equity using Bond yield plus risk premium Approach = Bond Yield + Risk Premium

= 10.28% + 3.55%

= 13.83%

The cost of equity using discounted cash flow Approach

As per Discounted cash flow model, The cost of Internal Equity = [D1 / P0] + g

Dividend in next year (D1) = $1.38 per share

Current Share Price (P0) = $25.67 per share

Dividend growth rate (g) = 5.72%

Therefore, The cost of Internal Equity = [D1 / P0] + g

= [$1.38 / $25.67] + 0.0572

= 0.0538 + 0.0572

= 0.1110 or

= 11.10%

Estimated Growth Rate

The Growth Rate is calculated by using the following Formula

The Growth Rate = Return on Equity x (1 – Dividend Payout Ratio)

= 14.00% x (1 – 0.55)

= 14.00% x 0.45

= 6.30%